West Yorkshire tram system given green light by Rachel Reeves with £2.1bn transport funds for region

Ms Reeves is expected to say this shows the Government will take different choices, with investment in a “new economic model – driven by investment in all parts of the country, not just a few”.

These will include new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield, and bus priority measures and cycleways on the A641, but the main focus will be on the region’s long-promised mass transit system.

The funding will allow Ms Brabin to get spades in the ground for the tram network by 2028, which will connect Leeds and Bradford.

The mayor said: "It is time for trams - today is a huge moment for our region.

"The Chancellor's backing means we now have the investment needed to bring trams back to the streets of Leeds and Bradford - improving public transport connections and boosting growth.

"We will also be able to take forward other vital projects, including new bus stations for Bradford and Wakefield, which will help us create a better-connected region that works for all."

The proposed tram route runs past Elland Road to the White Rose Centre, with the potential for future extensions to the airport and surrounding areas, including Dewsbury and Wakefield.

Ms Brabin said the £1bn in Government funding to cover the period from 2027 to 2032 could unlock £11bn of economic growth and help thousands of people access new jobs.

This was signed off by Ms Reeves’ deputy, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones, as the route goes through her Leeds West and Pudsey constituency.

It puts the project well on track for success, and local leaders hope it will give businesses the confidence to invest.

It comes after Leeds’ tram system closed in 1959 and despite multiple pledges from politicians since the early 2000s, all projects since have failed.

West Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority will publish its preferred route options later this year, with a full public consultation planned during 2026.

Overall, the project is set to cost £2.5bn with Ms Brabin hoping that the first trams will start operating in the early to mid 2030s.

Ms Reeves is also set to announce £1.5bn going to South Yorkshire over the same five-year period, with £530m to renew the Supertram network and £350m to support with bus franchising.

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “I know that big numbers like these can often feel disconnected from our daily lives.

“But put simply, that investment will help us make our vision of a bigger, better integrated transport network under public control, a reality.”

The Chancellor is expected to say that “a Britain that is better off cannot rely on a handful of places forging ahead of the rest of the country”.

She will add that the “result of such thinking has been growth created in too few places, felt by too few people and wide gaps between regions, and between our cities and towns”.

Overall, the Government is announcing £15.6bn of transport funding for the North and Midlands city regions.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our plan for change.

"For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve.

“With £15.6bn of Government investment, we're giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off."